For example, when a cocaine addict remembers a fight with a family member or being criticized at work, his brain’s reward system becomes activated, and he experiences intense cravings for cocaine. The stress hormones released during a fight-or-flight response also increase the excitability of your dopamine neurons. That means that when you’re under stress, any temptations you run into will be even more tempting.
When stress goes up for any reason, willpower goes down. Memories can cause stress, which triggers dopamine excitability. I wonder, if a drive to act is currently being suppressed when stress is added, does a person follow the current drive, a New one related to the stressor, or the favored neural pattern of survival - such as the addiction?
